U.S. patent application number 09/988993 was filed with the patent office on 2002-05-30 for accessory for a communication terminal.
Invention is credited to Lindholm, Christian.
Application Number | 20020065115 09/988993 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9904215 |
Filed Date | 2002-05-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020065115 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lindholm, Christian |
May 30, 2002 |
Accessory for a communication terminal
Abstract
An audio accessory includes a neck strap having an attachment
device for attaching an audio source to the neck strap, whereby the
audio source may be carried in said neck strap during normal use.
At least one earplug is connected to the audio source through a set
of wires to be connected to said audio source, and the neck strap
has gripping means for attaching the earplug wires to said neck
strap.
Inventors: |
Lindholm, Christian;
(Helsinki, FI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ANTONELLI TERRY STOUT AND KRAUS
SUITE 1800
1300 NORTH SEVENTEENTH STREET
ARLINGTON
VA
22209
|
Family ID: |
9904215 |
Appl. No.: |
09/988993 |
Filed: |
November 21, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/575.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 1/05 20130101; H04M
1/6058 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/568 ; 455/66;
455/90 |
International
Class: |
H04B 001/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 30, 2000 |
GB |
GB 0029275.5 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An audio accessory including a neck strap having an attachment
device for attaching an audio source to the neck strap, whereby the
audio source may be carried in said neck strap during normal use;
at least one earplug to be connected to said audio source through a
set of wires to be connected to said audio source; and gripping
means for temporary attaching a free end of said earplug wires to
said neck strap.
2. An audio accessory according to claim 1, wherein said accessory
includes catching means connected to said neck strap for catching
the free end of the earpiece wire carrying said least one earplug
when removed from the ear.
3. An audio accessory according to claim 2, wherein said catching
means includes at least one permanent magnet mounted on said neck
strap.
4. An audio accessory according to claim 3, wherein said at least
one magnet mounted on said neck strap is mounted at a distance from
the gripping means corresponding to a free end of the earpiece wire
from the gripping means.
5. An audio accessory according to claim 1, wherein the neck strap
comprises gripping means for each of two earplug wires to said neck
strap, and catching means connected to said neck strap for catching
each free end of the earpiece wire carrying respective
earplugs.
6. An audio accessory substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates an accessory for a communication
terminal, e.g. hand-portable phone.
[0002] During the past years, cellular terminals have become more
and more popular among users. These terminals have become smaller
and smaller, and for instance the most popular phones will have a
weight in the region of 100-150 grams. The use of headsets is in
general used for allowing the user to keep his hands free during a
telephone conversation. Traditionally these headsets are connected
to the cellular terminals via a set of wires. However during the
past there has been a focus on headsets being connected to a
cellular terminal via a low power RF connection, e.g. Bluetooth.
However this requires an extra battery in the headset because the
cellular terminal usually powers the headset unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.
[0003] According to a first aspect of the invention there is
provided an audio accessory including a neck strap having an
attachment device for attaching an audio source to the neck strap,
whereby the audio source may be carried in said neck strap during
normal use, at least one earplug to be connected to said audio
source through a set of wires to be connected to said audio source,
and gripping means for attaching said earplug wires to said neck
strap. Hereby the headset remains connected to the phone. The user
carries the phone in said neck strap and when he removes the
earplug from his ear, the earplug is maintained in a position close
to the neck of the user so the earplug is easy to find when an
incoming call occurs.
[0004] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention the
accessory includes catching means connected to said neck strap for
catching a free end of the earplug wire carrying said at least one
earplug when removed from the ear. The catching means includes
preferably a permanent magnet mounted on said neck strap. Hereby
the magnet will catch the earplug when the plug is removed from the
ear.
[0005] Preferably the magnet is mounted at a distance from the
gripping means corresponding to a free end of the earpiece wire
from the gripping means. Hereby the free end will be kept almost in
parallel to the corresponding part of the neck strap.
[0006] If the audio accessory includes two earplugs for providing a
stereophonic audio signal, the neck strap comprises gripping means
for each of the two earplug wires to said neck strap, and catching
means connected to said neck strap for catching each free end of
the earpiece wire carrying the respective earplugs.
[0007] For a better understanding of the present invention and to
understand how the same may be brought into effect reference will
now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings in
which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of an audio
accessory for a communication terminal according to the
invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an audio
accessory for a communication terminal according to the
invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 shows in perspective the gripping means shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0011] FIG. 4 shows in perspective the attachment device shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of an audio accessory
according to the invention. The audio accessory according to the
invention will according to the preferred embodiment be explained
with reference to a cellular phone 1 forming an audio source. A
neck strap 7 is attached to the phone 1 by means of a releasable
lock fitting 8 engaging in an eyelet 9 integrated in the housing of
the phone 1. An attachment device 6 has a function to attach the
neck strap 7 to a set of wires 3 connecting an earplug 5 to the
phone 1 forming the audio source. The attachment device 6 may
advantageously ensure that neither the neck strap 7 nor the set of
wires 3 slides in the attachment device 6 in relation to each
other.
[0013] When the cellular phone 1 is attached to the neck strap 7,
the cellular phone 1 may be carried in said neck strap 7 around the
neck of the user during normal use. An earplug 5 terminates the set
of wires 3 and the set of wires 3 is in the opposite end connected
to the cellular phone 1 via a male connector 2 plugged into a
female connector being provided in the bottom of the cellular phone
1.
[0014] The set of wires 3 is provided with a microphone body 4
having an operation button 11. When an incoming call is detected
and the phone alerts the user, the user may respond to the call by
pressing the operation button 11. Furthermore the operation button
11 may in idle mode and the phone be used for initiating a voice
control application in the phone.
[0015] On the neck strap 7 there is provided gripping means 10 for
catching earplug 5 when removed from the ear. If the user has
removed the earplug 5 from his ear and he still carries the phone 1
with the neck strap around his neck, user may respond an incoming
call by pressing the operation button 11 and place the earplug 5 in
the ear. The part of the earplug 5 to be inserted into the ear of
the user is covered by foamed rubber cover 19. The user will by
means of the invention always be able to respond to the call and
place the earplug 5 in one movement. The invention offers the user
a fast and efficient handling of a wired headset.
[0016] Above the audio source has been explained as a cellular
phone 1, but the audio source may be constituted by any kind of
communication terminal providing an audio signal, that may be
played for the user via a headset. The audio source may also
include music and broadcast sources, as CD player, FM radios,
etc.
[0017] The phone 1 comprises a keypad, a display, and internal
speaker, and microphone. According to the preferred embodiment the
phone 1 is adapted for communication via a cellular network, such
as the GSM 900/1800 MHz network. The two mating connector parts may
be provided with an interface corresponding to the Nokia 3310 phone
and the corresponding HDC-5 headset --both available on the market.
The phone 1 and the audio accessory will normally have a total
weight of 200 grams
[0018] The neck strap 7 is provided in a flexible and light
material, e.g. as a soft nylon webbing, as a weaved string, or even
as a metal ball chain. The set of wires 3 includes according to the
preferred embodiment a two-wire lead supplying the audio signal
from the phone 1 to the earplug 5, and furthermore a further
two-wire lead carrying the microphone signal from the microphone
body 4 to the phone 1 and dealing with the signaling provided by
pressing the operation button 11.
[0019] The length L.sub.2 of the set of wires 3 between the earplug
5 and the attachment device 6 is slightly greater than the length
L.sub.1 of the neck strap 7 between the attachment device 6 and the
gripping means 10, so the gripping means 10 preferably including a
permanent magnet may catch the earplug 5 including a metallic
transducers. The metallic transducer and thereby the earplug will
be attached by the magnet of the attachment device 10. Preferably
the distance (L.sub.2 plus L.sub.3) between the center of the
earplug 5 and the center of the microphone body 4 will be 12-16 cm,
while the length L.sub.2 will be 7-12 cm and the length L.sub.1
will be 6-11 cm. L.sub.3 will then be 4-7 cm.
[0020] According to a further embodiment of the invention the
eyelet 9 may be provided in the bottom of the phone 1 close to the
connector 2 whereby the overall length of the earplug set of wire 3
may be reduced.
[0021] If the audio source is able to provide a stereo audio
signal, when the phone 1 includes e.g. an integrated MP3 player or
an FM radio, the audio accessory will include two earplug 5, two
attachment device 6, and two gripping means 10 for gripping the
earplugs when removed from the ear. This is shown in FIG. 2. The
parts having the same reference number as in FIG. 1 also serves the
same function.
[0022] FIG. 3 shows the gripping means 10 including a disc shaped
permanent magnet 15 embedded into a cover 16 from which an
integrated part 17 protrudes. The protruding part 17 has a
through-going bore 18 through which the neck strap passes. The
gripping means 10 is provided as an appropriate resin, e.g.
polyethylene, and is fixed from sliding along the neck strap by
providing an appropriate glue in the bore 18.
[0023] FIG. 4 shows in perspective the attachment device 6.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention the
attachment device 6 has two identical half parts 12 and 13, and
when the attachment device 6 is assembled the two through going
bores will be occupied by the set of wires 3 and the neck strap 7,
respectively. Advantageously the two half parts 12 and 13 are
provided in an appropriate resin, e.g. polyethylene, and glued or
adhered together by e.g. supersonic welding.
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